Portable beverage containers, such as tumblers, mugs, and the like, are commonly used by people who want to drink coffee, tea, or other liquids when walking, driving, or otherwise traveling between two different places. Portable beverage containers typically include a removable lid that is configured to help prevent the liquid residing in the base of the beverage container from splashing or spilling during travel. The lid is usually provided with some mechanism that permits the user to drink the liquid without removing the lid. As an example, the lid may include a valve or latch that can be opened or closed. When the valve or latch is opened, the liquid in the beverage container can flow out of the container and be consumed by the user. Conversely, when the valve or latch is closed, the lid substantially prevents the liquid from escaping the container and spilling or splashing on or around the user.
Conventionally, portable beverage container lids were designed to only permit the user to drink the liquid from a designated point, i.e., one point, on or along the circumference of the lid. As an example, many conventional beverage container lids include one small aperture that, when opened, allows the liquid to be poured out of the beverage container for consumption by the user. More recently, however, some portable beverage container lids have been developed that allow the user to drink the liquid from multiple points along the surface of the lid, for example, from any surface along the circumference of the lid. However, these portable beverage container lids, such as, for example, the lid described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,702,138, achieve this utilizing a complex, spring-driven ratchet and tooth mechanism. It will be appreciated that these complex, spring-driven mechanisms significantly add to the cost and time required to manufacture and assemble a beverage container lid.